Lyra began to panic.
The darkness surrounding her seemed endless, stretching farther than her eyes could see. She had no idea where she was, how she had arrived in this strange place, or why the mysterious memory had appeared inside her mind.
Then, without warning, something began to change.
A flash of memories tried to merge with her own.
But they didn't belong to Lyra Subaru.
They belonged to someone else.
The images were blurry and incomplete, as though she were watching fragments of a distant past through a fogged window. She couldn't clearly see the faces of the people involved, nor could she understand how their memories had entered her dream.
All she could hear was someone crying.
Someone was injured.
And someone was desperately hugging her.
No—hugging the woman whose memories she was seeing.
Lyra couldn't understand what was happening. She had never met the people in those memories, yet the emotions coming from them felt painfully real. There was sorrow, regret, and a love that seemed to be breaking apart right before her eyes.
Then she heard a man's voice.
It was strange, unfamiliar, and yet somehow similar to Aizen's voice.
"Miyako. I'm sorry. I didn't manage to find the bombs... and our date for tomorrow."
The man's words trembled with regret.
Lyra couldn't see him clearly. His appearance remained blurred, but she could feel his desperation as he held the injured woman in his arms.
The woman he called Miyako coughed weakly.
"Raizen. It's—cough, cough—not your fault."
Her voice was frail, and every word seemed to require the last of her strength.
"It was theirs. They are evil."
She struggled to continue, as though she had something important left to say before her voice disappeared forever.
"I wish that we could... someday meet again."
The man holding her seemed unable to accept what was happening.
They were dying.
Both of them knew it.
And yet, even as death approached, they continued to hold one another. Their embrace was filled with a tenderness that made the tragedy even more painful.
They were wearing strange uniforms or outfits that Lyra had never seen before. Their clothing looked foreign, entirely different from what people in Tellus usually wore.
Then Lyra understood something else.
The two people weren't dying from ordinary injuries.
They had been caught in an explosion caused by bombs.
Some kind of explosive attack had destroyed their chance to live together.
A love that might have lasted a lifetime had been crushed in a single moment by the cruelty of others.
Lyra stared at the blurry scene, unable to look away.
"W-what is this?"
Her voice echoed through the darkness.
"It feels strange. Where am I? And why am I seeing people I don't even know?"
She tried to understand the fragments, searching for an explanation that would make sense.
"Who are Miyako and Raizen? And why are they dying from an explosion? Was that some kind of explosive magic?"
But the memory offered no answers.
It simply continued to fade.
The man's voice became distant, and Miyako's weak breathing grew quieter until Lyra could no longer hear it. The images gradually dissolved into darkness, leaving her with nothing but the lingering pain of a tragedy she had never experienced herself.
She tried to hold on to the details.
The foreign clothing.
The explosion.
The man named Raizen.
And the woman named Miyako.
But everything slipped away.
In the end, only one name remained clear in her mind.
Miyako.
That was all she could remember.
Lyra didn't know who Miyako was, why the woman seemed so familiar despite being a complete stranger, or why witnessing her final moments had made Lyra feel as though she had lost something precious.
She didn't even know whether the memory was truly hers to witness.
Eventually, she stopped trying to understand it.
She sat alone in the dark place, waiting for something to happen.
For a while, nothing changed.
Then a faint light appeared somewhere in the distance.
It was small at first, barely noticeable against the surrounding darkness. Gradually, however, it grew brighter and brighter, spreading across the empty space until the shadows began to disappear.
Lyra raised a hand to shield her eyes.
The light became overwhelming.
And then—
She woke up.
Lyra opened her eyes and found herself back in the familiar campsite.
The strange darkness was gone. The memories of Miyako and Raizen remained somewhere in the back of her mind, but she could no longer see their faces or hear their voices clearly.
For a moment, she simply lay still, trying to understand what she had just experienced.
Her breathing was slightly uneven.
That strange dream was probably something I read before... something I've already read.
She tried to convince herself that the memory had come from something she had encountered in a book or story. Perhaps her mind had simply combined something she had read with her own imagination.
That explanation seemed reasonable enough.
After all, why would she suddenly see the final moments of two strangers who appeared to have lived in a completely different world?
Still, the emotions left behind by the dream refused to disappear entirely.
Lyra turned her head.
Someone was hugging her tightly.
It was Aizen.
Even while sleeping, he had his arms wrapped around her, holding her close as though his body instinctively wanted to protect her. His familiar presence and steady breathing helped settle her racing thoughts.
Lyra looked at his face for a moment.
Then she gently relaxed against him.
At least I'm back.
She didn't know why she had experienced such a strange dream, but she decided not to dwell on it any longer. There was a long journey ahead of them, and they would soon be entering Ravaryn.
For now, she needed to prepare breakfast.
Carefully, Lyra slipped out of Aizen's embrace without waking him. She reached for her magical storage ring and began taking out the ingredients they had stored during their travels.
She decided to make a simple breakfast: carrot and meat soup accompanied by bread.
It wasn't an elaborate meal, but it would provide enough nourishment for everyone to continue their journey.
Lyra placed the ingredients together and began preparing the soup. The familiar routine helped distract her from the lingering uneasiness of her dream.
Before long, the smell of warm soup spread through the campsite.
Mikaela was the first of the children to wake up.
She slowly sat up, rubbing her sleepy eyes before noticing Lyra preparing breakfast.
"Mama...?"
"Good morning, Mikaela," Lyra replied with a gentle smile. "Come and eat once you're ready."
Mikaela yawned and nodded.
A little later, Lina woke up as well. Her yellow ears twitched sleepily, and she rubbed her eyes before making her way toward Lyra.
"Mama, what's for breakfast?"
"Carrot and meat soup, with bread."
Lina's expression brightened.
"Yay!"
The little Beastman sat down, still looking somewhat sleepy.
Theodore woke up after her. He stretched his arms and looked around the campsite before following the smell of the food.
Finally, Aizen opened his eyes.
He sat up, ran a hand through his messy black hair, and glanced toward the others.
"Morning, everyone."
"Good morning, Papa!" Lina answered cheerfully.
Aizen smiled at her before standing up and joining his family.
Soon, all five of them gathered around their simple breakfast.
They ate the carrot and meat soup with bread, enjoying the warmth of the meal before setting off again. The children chatted among themselves, while Lyra occasionally joined their conversation.
Aizen, however, eventually spoke about something he wanted everyone to remember.
"Listen, everyone. We're getting close to Ravaryn now, and we don't know what kind of problems we might encounter once we're inside the city."
The children turned toward him.
Aizen continued in a calm, reassuring voice.
"Whatever happens, I'll handle the problems that come our way. You don't need to panic if something unexpected happens. Stay together, listen to what Lyra and I tell you, and don't wander off on your own."
He looked at each of them to make sure they understood.
"I'll do everything I can to protect this family."
Lyra glanced at him, feeling reassured by his words.
Mikaela and Theodore nodded, while Lina looked at Aizen with complete trust.
"Okay, Papa!"
With breakfast finished, they packed their belongings and prepared to continue their journey.
They had spent a considerable amount of time traveling through the forest, and Ravaryn was finally within reach.
After walking for a while longer, the trees gradually became thinner. The terrain began to rise, and the travelers eventually reached the edge of a massive mountain cliff.
Aizen stepped toward the edge and looked out over the landscape.
Then he saw it.
Beyond the vast stretch of land below them stood a gigantic city surrounded by enormous defensive walls. Its buildings rose above the surrounding terrain, and the distant sunlight reflected off the structures and the water surrounding its outer defenses.
Ravaryn.
The kingdom's great city stood before them, looking far more imposing than a small settlement like Mayana.
Aizen's golden eyes examined the city with interest.
"Look at that! We reached Ravaryn!"
Lyra stepped beside him and looked down at the city.
"Yes, that's Ravaryn. This will be our home for a year or more."
She studied the enormous walls, already thinking about where they might stay and how they would settle into their new surroundings.
Theodore and Mikaela looked equally amazed by the sight.
Lina, however, noticed something else.
She looked down the steep cliff beneath their feet, then back toward the distant ground.
"Then how do we get down from the cliff?"
For a moment, nobody answered.
Aizen simply smirked.
Then he turned his head toward Lyra.
She immediately recognized that expression.
"Aizen..."
He continued looking at her.
Lyra sighed.
"Aizen, I'll get too tired. I'm not the flying type of Dragonoid."
She already knew what he was thinking, and she wasn't particularly enthusiastic about the idea.
Aizen chuckled.
"Not that you'll have to carry all of us. Mikaela can slow down her fall, and Theodore can try to slow his descent by flapping his little wings. Lina will be carried by me, and I'll jump down myself."
He spoke as though jumping off a mountain cliff were the most ordinary thing in the world.
Mikaela stared at him in disbelief.
"Papa! How could we possibly do that?! We're miles above the ground! It's going to take a long time to get down if we have to find another way!"
"Don't worry," Lyra replied, addressing Mikaela's concerns. "I'll help you and Theodore. The real question is how we can get down more easily and quickly."
She glanced at Aizen before continuing.
"It would be much easier if Aizen simply picked up Lina and jumped down safely."
Lina looked between her parents, unsure whether she should be excited or frightened.
Aizen, meanwhile, seemed entirely confident.
"Well, let's try it out!"
Before anyone could argue further, he approached Lina and carefully picked her up.
"Papa? What are you—"
Lina didn't get to finish her question.
Aizen stepped off the cliff.
And the two of them began falling.
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!"
Lina screamed as the ground rushed toward them.
The wind roared past her ears, and her yellow tail fluttered wildly behind her. She clung tightly to Aizen, her little hands gripping his clothing as the enormous mountain cliff seemed to vanish above them.
They were descending at a terrifying speed.
"P-Papa! We're falling! We're really falling!"
Aizen remained remarkably calm.
"It's fine, Lina. I've got you."
"But we're going so fast!"
"I know. Just hold on to me."
Lina squeezed her eyes shut.
She trusted her father, but that didn't mean jumping off a mountain felt any less frightening.
Aizen's physical capabilities had surpassed those of his past self. His strength, speed, and control over his body had reached a level that allowed him to perform feats that ordinary people could scarcely imagine.
The enormous distance beneath them didn't trouble him.
He could feel the air rushing around his body, and his eyes remained focused on the ground below. He adjusted his posture while keeping Lina securely in his arms.
Then, as they approached the ground, something extraordinary happened.
Their descent slowed.
The tremendous speed that had carried them down the mountain gradually vanished, as though an invisible force had caught them in midair.
There was no violent collision.
No impact that sent dust flying across the ground.
Instead, Aizen and Lina descended gently until their feet touched the earth.
It was as if they had become feathers floating down from the sky.
Aizen placed Lina safely on the ground.
For a moment, she remained frozen.
Then she slowly opened her eyes.
They were already at the bottom.
"P-Papa...?"
Aizen smiled at her.
"See? I told you we'd be fine."
Lina stared at the ground beneath her feet, then looked up at the towering mountain they had just descended.
Her frightened expression gradually changed into astonishment.
"We... we're really down here?"
"Of course."
Aizen gently patted her head.
Lina looked at him for another moment before her fear finally gave way to excitement.
"That was so fast!"
Aizen laughed.
"You're not scared anymore?"
Lina shook her head.
"Well... maybe a little!"
Her tail began to sway.
"But it was fun!"
Aizen smiled, pleased that she had recovered so quickly.
Meanwhile, the others had begun their own descent.
Lyra spread her wings, preparing to bring Mikaela and Theodore down safely. Although she wasn't the type of Dragonoid who enjoyed flying for long periods, she could still use her wings to control her descent.
Mikaela carefully followed her instructions, using her magic to slow her fall. Theodore tried to do the same, flapping his small wings as he descended beside them.
They weren't nearly as fast as Aizen, but with Lyra guiding them, they gradually made their way toward the ground.
Theodore looked down and spotted Aizen and Lina standing safely below.
"Whoa! Papa and Lina are already on the ground!"
Mikaela glanced down as well.
"Yep! That's a fun ride!"
Lyra gave the two children a weary smile.
"We'll be down shortly, though I'm getting a little tired."
She continued controlling their descent, carefully guiding them toward the ground.
Eventually, Lyra, Mikaela, and Theodore reached the bottom of the cliff.
The family was finally reunited on solid ground.
Aizen looked toward the enormous city ahead of them.
"All right. Let's get moving."
With Lina walking beside him, the family began making their way toward Ravaryn's gates.
As they approached the city, its immense defensive structures became increasingly impressive.
Ravaryn was protected by three enormous walls, each serving a different purpose.
The first wall stood as the city's outer defense against monsters roaming the surrounding lands. A vast lake stretched around it, creating an additional obstacle for anything attempting to approach or climb the defenses.
The second wall provided another layer of protection, intended to stop monsters that managed to get past the first line of defense.
Finally, the third wall enclosed the main inhabited area, where the city's people lived and worked.
The layered defenses made Ravaryn look like a fortress built to withstand prolonged attacks. Its gates were heavily guarded, and the soldiers stationed there carefully watched the people approaching the entrance.
Aizen and his family joined the line of travelers waiting to enter.
When they finally reached the gate, one of the guards stepped forward.
"Hey, mister! Show your ticket to enter!"
Aizen nodded.
"We have them here!"
He took out the tickets for himself and the rest of his family, placing them inside the designated casket used for verification.
The casket was then passed toward the guards stationed at the entrance. They examined the tickets carefully, checking whether they were genuine and valid for entry.
Aizen waited patiently while Lyra and the children stood beside him.
After a short while, the guards finished their inspection.
Everything was in order.
The gates began to open.
The enormous doors moved aside, allowing the travelers to pass through the entrance and into the city.
Aizen looked toward Ravaryn, his golden eyes filled with curiosity.
Their journey from Mayana had finally brought them here.
A new city.
A new home.
And an entirely new chapter of their lives was about to begin.
End of Chapter 14.